Service device for toothpicks and the like



1933. c. L, RINEHART 1,908,185

SERVICE DEVICE FOR TOOTHPICKS AND THE LIKE Filed May 13, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet 1 y 9, 1933- c. L. RINEHART 1,908,185

SERVICE DEVICE FOR TOOTHPICKS AND THE LIKE Filed May 15, 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 9, 1933 I v UNITED STATES PATENT op -1 errav m I. RINEHAR' QF CLEVELAND, OHIO, Assrenonmo JOAN Paonuo'rs, am; or

CLEVELAND, 01110, A CORPORATION or 01110 snnvzron DEVICE non'roorrnrroxs AND THE LIKE Application filed May 13, 1930. Serial Np.452,-086.,

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved and moregenerally eiiicient service apparatus or device for articles,

such as toothpicks, matches and the like.

A further object is to provide a novel arrangement in a serviceapparatus for prominently displaying the articles to be served whilemaintaining the articles in sanitary condition andeasi-ly available tothe intended user.

A specific object is to provide a device which will support a. quantityof articles, such as toothpicks, and permit the articles to be removed,one only at a time.

Further objects include the provision of a noveland effectivearrangement for displaying a card for advertising descriptive or othermatter, in connection with a service apparatus such as mentioned above.

Another object is to provide a simple and effective arrangement forsupporting such a service apparatus in suspended position as well as.on, for example, a table or counter. Other objects .and features of theinvention will become apparent from the following description relatingto the accompanying drawings, wherein I have-shown my pre {ferred form.The essential characteristics will be summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 isa side elevation of the entire arrangement;Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a substantiallyhorizontalcross sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 on Fig. 1 Fig.4 is a substantially'centralcross sectional view in a vertical plane;Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top portion of theapparatus, showing the cover thereof in open position; V

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing two removable ,parts of the deviceincluding the advertising or like card display arrangement; and Fig. 7is a detail view taken substantially along the line77 on Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, these show a suitable pedestal 1and a' supporting column 2 attached to the pedestal for sustaining-amain cabinet or receptacle indicated ,generall-y ,at8 for holding thearticles to be served. The articles orblanks shown may .be,..forexample, toothpicks indicated at B.

The supporting column 2 is pref stened to the back wall of thereceptacle ashy a single "rivet or equivalent device, shown at Thecolumn, as shown, rests in a recess 5a at the back of the receptacle andclosely embraces the bottom wall, as at 6., to prevent the column fromshifting out'of placefand then extending downwardly. and mayfihe turnedrearwardlyat? for an adequate support on the pedestal. Preferably thepedes- .tal 1 is 'a single metal stamping and is depressed as at 8 toallow the upper surface of the rearwardly turned portion 7 of the columnto set flush with the general'top surface of the pedestal. Any suitablefastening device, such as a bolt'9, may beused to secure the 'rearwardlyturned portion 7 of the eel umn in rigidposition.

The construction of the receptacle is pref- I erabily as follows. Thereis amain'bacfkwall.

10 integrally formed with side Walls 11 and a downwardly and "forwardlyinclined bottom wall 12. The sidewalls 11 preferably have flangeseXtendi-ng toward each other as at 13 for suitable attachment to a frontwall,

member indicated generally at 15 and V is especially arranged to supportan advert-isingcard or the like, as will he hereinafter The side edgesof the bottom wall 12 of. the receptacle maybe bent upwardly intoflanges as at 120; to provide a completeclosure at the bottom. .One edgeof each flange ,may have a lug 12b adaptedcto be turned'jin throughsuitableiopenings in the sidewalls '11 to secure-.these'flangesin'placel i .The receptacle may be closed at the topiiby a swingablecovermember i17,thelatter:-ha'v- 'ing depending flanges 18 overlappingthe upper edges of the rear and sidewall members to form a complete andsubstantially proof closure and through which the articles may beputinto the receptacle; At the front of the receptacle the wallmemberlfi'is' out out'as at 20 forming a window e'fl'ecaandjthis cutoutportion is closed ran insert wafll member 21 which is also a protectororguard for an advertising card. The-guard is preferably formed oftransparent material, such as sheet celluloid, mica orthe'like-Thepreferred shape of the guard member 21 is shown in Fig. 6. This maybe in one or two sections as desired. The member 21 has a widened part21a at the top and a narrow part 216 at the bottom. If desired, in orderto save the cost of blanking out this member 21', the widened portionmay be made separately 1 from the narrow portion.

tothe bottom of the receptacle to form side throughout its entireextent.

end 216 of the guard extends through a slot :27 cut out of the ledge 25.Side flanges 28 on operation with the guard member 21, the

latter lying flat over the card, preferably The narrowed the member 15'extend rearwardly near the bottom of this member 15 into overlyingrela tion to the sides 11 of the container and which may be fastened tothe side walls 11 by any suitable device, such as inturned lugs 28entering registering openings in the side walls. These flanges 28 areextended downwardly closures toprevent the endwise, removal of theblanks.

' A suitable stop for the guard member 21, to determine the properposition of its lower 7 edge to hold back the blanks, may be provided byreason of inwardly projecting side portions 30 of the member 15, theseforming part of the frame for the window effect at 20 and which at theirlower ends may be turned rearwardly as at 31 to engage the lower edge ofthe guard.

The blanks are adapted to be withdrawn from the container by the deviceshown par- 1 (ticularly in Figs. 2 and 4, wherein the inclined astoothpicks'or the like, from falling out or being removed, several at atime.

bottom member 12 of the container is shown as having an upwardly turnedlip at 33, this, in con unction with the flexible lower edge of theguard 21, preventing the blanks, such The lip V 33 and bottom member 12of the container is sheared out circularlyas at 34 to provide anentrance for one or more of the fingers of the user, who simply graspsthe foremost blank and pulls it out, slightly flexing the i guard member21 in doing so. .member 21 does not need any special formation at itsbottom edge, in fact, it should be The guard straight along its bottomedge to adequately guard the blanks against collecting dust Iwhilepermitting easy removalof one blank at a time. The feature ofproviding visibility of the blanks, to show the character thereof aswell as to indicate when the supply of articles is nearly exhausted isalso a distinctive advantage, afforded by the transparent member 21.

It will be understood that the flanges 13 of the side members 11 of thecontainer are suitably secured to the member 15, for example,

by inturned lugs 35 of the sheet metal forming the member 15. Obviously,all the flanges may be secured by solder instead, if desired.

It is desirable to hold the guard 21 and the display card 26 in placeagainst upward movement, and for this purpose, I may pro- .vide anoverhanging ledge device by means of. striking out a small portion ofthe material of the member 15 as at 37, the upper surfaces of thisstruckout portion being gen erally smooth and inclining downwardlyrto.

allow the card and guard to enter easily into the embrace of the flanges23. When the guard and card are in place they underlie the abrupt edgeat the bottom of the outstruck portion 37. 1 l

A feature of the invention is the arrangement of hinges for the cover.Thiscomprises the formation of hooklike extensions 40, see Fig. 5, atthe foremost edge of the cover member 17, which are adapted to slidinglyengage slotted openings 41 in rearwardly struck portions 42 of themember 15, particularly the flanges 13 thereof. This, as will be seen,provides a very suitable hinge without the addition of any specialparts.

To hold the cover in closed position, I preferably provide thearrangement shown par ticularly in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. This includes theprovision of a socketed lip formation 44 on the rear depending flange ofthe cover and the socket is designed to spring over a projection 45 onthe rear wall. As shown,

this projection is provided on'a tab 46- made as an extension of the.material forming the back wall of the receptacle. If desired, this tabmay comprise a separate piece soldered.

or otherwise fastened to the back wall, as

will be obvious.

The tab extends below the projection 45 and lies closely adjacent therear wall of the container, preferably in a depressed portion thereof at47, shaped tojust receive the tab. The tab has a suitable opening as at48 and a further feature of the device is that with the cover in closedposition, this tab may be easily bent up over the cover as indicated at46 in broken lines in'Fig. 1, and the opening 48 slipped over asuspending nail or the like on the wall. This manner of bending up thetab will. prevent the tab from interfering with subsequent opening andclosing the cover.

I claim 7 Service apparatus of the class described, comprising, acontainer member formed of sheet material, and having a cut out portionat its front wall, an advertising card supporting device fixed to thecontainer above the cut out portion, and comprising a channeled sheetmetal member formed with a horizontal abutment, there being anadvertising card in the channel engaging the abutment, and a protectingdevice of transparent material adapted to overlie the card, saidabutment ledge having an opening therein arranged to 7 receive a portionof the card protecting device, whereby said portion of the cardprotecting device may overlie the cut out portion of the front wall andform a display window for the articles in the container.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

CURVIN L. RINEHART.

